Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1887-01-25
FOUR BOILERS GO UP
AT THE STEEL WORKS OF SPANG, CHAL,
PANT & CO.. AT ETNA BOROUGH.
Two Men Killed and Several More WOunded-Tht
Structure Reduced to Splintsrs-Grsat Pieces Of
Steel Hurled Long DiStaacss-Namss OF
the Victims-A Scene Of Ruins

as never DelOTe occurred NJ lnaJ plact.
Most OF the people of the town were in
their beds Suddenly an explosion, that
shook the houses rs if by an earthquake,
and which in many places almost threw
people out OF their beds, was heard. The
startled people hurried out of their houses,
and anxiously inquired what had hap
pened.
The cries for help that came from the
neighborhood of Spang, Chaliant < Co.'S
mills, at the upper part of the town, soon
gathered thousands Of people to the mill.
A fearful explosion had occurred. The
upper portion of the mill was in ruins.
Debris, pieces of boilers, broken pipes,
wood and other things were scattered over
wide area. In the midst of the escaping
steam, the dust and ashes flying through
the furnaces, came the loud calls of men
for help. Brave men rushed in and drag
ged out one by one the injured, and among
them the dead body of Fireman Thomas
Patterson, who had been instantly killed
by the explosion, and another man, stran-
ger at the time, whose flesh was barely
clinging to his body.
THE EXPLODED BOILERS.
The middle battery of the line of boilers
had exploded. 1t consisted OF four boilers.
Of these, three had been torn from their
places and their pieces sent crashing
through the roof of the mill, hundreds OF
yards away. Roof, pillars and machinery
for yards around, in all directions from the
boilers had been wrecked and piled up to-
gether in mass.
1t was All hour before the wOrkmen and
the people living near the mill removed the
injured and dead. Then it was discovered
just how much damage was done. The
list of killed and injured is long one. The
names of the killed and injured are as fol-
lows:
t THE CASUALTIES.
THOMAS PATTERSON, fireman, head crushed
and scalded; killed instantly. Resided
in Sharpsburg.
WILLIAM CARvILLE, n tramp, scalded, and
died an hour after being taken to the
hospital.
THOMAS PRATHEROW, q rougher, badly
hurt about the feet. but not seriously.
BARTLEY NAUGHTIN, puddler, cut about
the head and badly hurt in the back.
LOUIS CIOUSE, watchman at the mill, cut
in head and otherwise bruised.
JAMES EVANS, q roller, bruised by falling
timbers, but not seriously.
JAMES PHILLIPS, puddler, knee cut and
hurt in the back.
ANDREW RICE, boy, cut in the head
Injuries slight.
GRIFFITH HUMPHREYS, son of Engineer
Humphreys, badly cut about the head
| and back Dangerously hurt.
The explosion took place so early in the
morning that it was some time before the
managers and owners of the mill could get
there, but every effort was made on the
part of the company and its officers to re-
iieve the distress of the injured. Drs.
w. T.. Johnson and w. B. Krosen were
taken to Holzheimer's livery stable, and
the dying man, Caryille, was taken in n
carriage to St Franciscus Hospital. The
injured men were taken home in carriages
and given the best medical attention. IL
is not thought by the physicians that any
of the other men will die Their escape
from instant death was little short of
miraculous.
THE UNFORTUNATE FIREMAN.
Patterson was found lying near the en-
CINE and was dead when they picked him
up. Carville was tramp who had come
to the mill few days ago. Yesterday he
was given some work to do, and to-day he
had intended to get a boarding place and
work steady. He was lying sleeping be-
tween the boilers when the explosion Oc-
Cured. He was able tOspeak when taken
out. He had come to the city two or three
days since from Bethlehem, Pa. lie has q
married sister living at that place and also
a sister at Homestead He was irightfully
scalded Bartly Naughtin was seen short
ly before nOOu. His wounds had been
dressed and he was resting comfortably.
He had been blown violently twenty feet
against post, and when picked mp was
unconscious The other men were blown
about in all directions, though none of
them excepting young Humphreys were
badly hurt.
APPEARANCE OF THE RUINS.
When daylight came the scene of the ex
plosion was surrounded by hundreds OF
people. The force of it could be realized
when the parts of the broken boilers were
observed Above the mill were eight green
houses belonging to +. Wuttke. They are
about 100 wards above the mill. piece
of boiler weighing 800 pounds had fallen
into one of the green houses, of course de-
stroying halfthe building. Not one of the
greenhouses escaped injury. Pieces Of
boilers, rocks and debris of various kinds,
had crushed in the glass roofs and de-
stroyed thousands of plants. Mr.. Wuttke
stated that his loss would not bc under
81, 800 and might reach s., 600. His spring
stock Of plants and flowers was nearly all
destroyed.
About tke greenhouses, lying up in the
woods, fully 300 yards from the mill, was
one of the boilers, entire, excepting that
one end had blown out. The boiler
in it's course, had struck largs tree,
two feet in diameter, tearing it into
fragments, and leaving nothing but
a splintered stump. The boiler
has gone on over sixty yards beyond the
tree. Up on the hillside 400 yards or more
from the mill, was another large piece Of q
boiler. Ii was fall length, and weighed
about 400 pounds. 4 piece weighing nearly
800 pounds, was landed against one Of
the greenhouses On the other side of the
mill, piece of the boiler weighing 1000
pounds was landed on the plank road, il
having been shot clean over the mill.
CAUSE OPTHE ACCIDENT.
The cause Of the explosion is somewhat
involved in mystery. George Williams,
the engineer on duty Mt the time, stated
that not more than five minutes before the
explosion occurred he had looked at the
gauges and found two gauges Of water and
a steam pressure Of 81 pounds. The only
man who could have given any informs-
+ ton on this point was the fireman, who
was killed. The boilers were made Of
steel, were only put in two years ago last
| July, and were Of the finest material, hav-
ing made test of g., 900 pounds TO the
, inch, tensile strength. They were regard